Part Two

<< Ow? >>

Oz whimpered softly as he woke up on ... a couch? He shook his head slightly. Everything hurt. Especially his back. And his head. And his arms... and his legs...

"Oz?" Willow's voice penetrated his mind, and he became aware of her presence beside him. And also of the blanket that covered him from the waist down.

"Will?" He replied, trying to open his eyes. She was stroking his cheek, softly, looking down at him, concerned.

"How do you feel?" She asked, gently, giving him a simpathetic smile. He tried to smile back.

"Ow." He replied. "What happ...?" That was all he could get out. He felt overwhelming drowsiness, along with the soreness.

"Oh, God, Oz." Willow whispered. "It was awful." He just looked up at her, concerned, willing her to say more. "We... Giles had to shoot you. With the tranquilizer gun. Um... Xander... well, he came by after all last night, and he noticed that the towels weren't up and started saying all these mean things... And wolfy you got all upset and tried to break the cage so Giles had to do it. I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't be." He mumbled. "Xander?" << Use. Complete. Sentences. >>

"Buffy took him home." Willow's mouth was a straight line, as she sighed. "I can't believe him..."

"Over-react?"

"You can say *that* again. He started going on and on about beastiality and how it was disgusting." She ran her hand along her boyfriend's naked shoulder. "I just can't believe him." She repeated. Oz reached up to caress her hair. Wearily, she lowered herself so that she was laying next to him on the couch, her head on his chest. When she was against him, she relaxed. He moved his hand over her hair again and again, soothingly. Before he knew it, she was asleep. And as soon as the drowsiness faded, he was going to have a little talk with Xander.

*********************

Oz glanced around Xander's porch after he'd rung the doorbell. The house was silent. That seemed odd, since it was almost noon on a Saturday. Finally, the door opened. He saw Xander peek to see who it was, sigh, and finally open the door reluctantly.

"Look who it is." Xander murmered.

"Can we talk?" Oz asked, not a man for much small talk.

"Do you think you're capable of it?" Xander replied, bitterly. Oz bit his lip to keep from pouncing on the guy, and offered him a polite smile.

"I'm pretty sure." Oz said. "Would you let me in?"

Xander pushed open his screen door and saundered into his kitchen, waiting for Oz to follow. He did, glancing around the living room. << Messy. >> He thought.

"What do you want?" Xander asked, once they were both in the kitchen. He pulled out a box of Lucky Charms and poored himself a bowl. Then he slid the box over to Oz. Oz just politely pushed it aside.

"To talk."

"Should I even dignify that with a 'Duh'?" Xander asked, glaring at the older man for a moment. Oz just stared back at him, and ignored the comment.

"I think you owe Willow an apology."

"For what?" Xander replied. "For not being a good enough best friend? For being such a BAD friend that she couldn't even tell me she was sleeping with you?"

Oz shook his head. "No. For insulting our relationship and upsetting her last night."

"She worked herself into a frenzy. I didn't do anything."

"She told me everything you said. And don't think I'm not insulted, I'm just more worried about her."

"Figures." Xander muttered. "The perfect boyfriend." He said, in a mocking tone.

"Would you shut the hell up?" Oz asked, finally growing too tired of Xander's petty comments. He was tired, sore, and *really* hungry. Xander looked suprised.

"Well now I know *your* true colors--"

"What's your problem?" Oz cut him off. "You're upset that she didn't tell you straight off, but maybe it was something we wanted to keep quiet for awhile."

"She still told Buffy."

"Buffy is her best friend."

"*I'm* her best friend." Xander shot back.

Oz just looked at him. That was another discussion for another time, and it wasn't something he wanted to deal with. "Fine. Buffy is a very close friend that she felt comfortable sharing that with."

Xander snorted. "And she didn't feel comfortable telling me?"

"No, I guess not."

"And that had *nothing* to do with you."

"I don't make up Willow's mind for her."

"Then why the hell would she feel comfortable telling Buffy and not me?" Xander snapped.

"Maybe because she didn't have an affair with Buffy." Oz and Xander had never talked about that. After Willow and Oz had gotten together, it was almost like it had never happened. Not as far as their relationship was concerned, anyway.

Xander just kind of looked at him for a moment. Then he brushed it off. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You know, Xander, I don't want to really get into this, but if you want to know what's wrong with your relationship, it's painfully obvious to everyone *but* you. And the problem is that for 15 years of her life you ignored Willow's feelings because you didn't want to see them. You stomped all over her heart like you were dancing a friggin mexican hat dance, and, whether or not it was intentional, you manipulated her." Oz stared at Xander for a moment, before continuing. "You didn't want to see her feelings because you knew you didn't feel the same way. Yet you begrudged her happiness with anyone else because she was *your* Willow."

"I--" Xander started, but Oz cut him off.

"You nothing. You couldn't handle the fact that I was in her life, that I was challenging your place in her heart. And you got 'confused', and you kissed her, and that I can deal with, and again, you confused her, and you scared her and you really hurt her."

"She went back to you."

"Because she decided that was what she wanted. And don't think for a second that I would have gone back with her if I had thought she was just doing it because she felt guilty. I know she made her choice. I know I'm very lucky. I don't know what I'd do without her. I love her more than anything. But that's not the point."

"Then what is?" Xander asked, stunned by the other man's words.

"The point is that she didn't tell you because she knew you'd react exactly how you did last night. Because I truthfully don't think you *want* her to be happy, Xander. You can't deal with her loving anyone else but you, and you're too damn scared because you just can't love her back."

Xander stared at him for a moment, saying nothing, digesting everything.

Oz stood up from his place at the table. "I feel really badly for you, Xander. You *almost* know what you want. But things can't always be the way they were. She's not your Willow anymore, she's mine, and I suggest you apologize to her as soon as possible." He stared at the other man for a moment. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. I need a cough drop, I don't think I've ever spoken that much in my entire life."

*************

Willow carefully examined the slightly deep cut on Oz's left shoulder. "Does it feel any better?" She asked, rubbing it gently. He winced. According to Giles, right before he'd been shot, Ozwolf had caught it's shoulder on a loose wire from the cage.

"I'll heal." He managed to reply as she gently rubbed a disinfectant on it. She grinned down at him.

"You're such a male." He smiled back, and she kissed him on the lips. "Always trying to be a hero..."

"I talked to Xander." Oz said, conversationally. Willow looked shocked for a moment, then curious.

"What did he say?"

"Not much of anything." Oz said. "But I think he might come by tonight." He kissed her forehead. "Just wanted to warn you."

She nodded. "Thanks." She then cuddled up to him, kissing his neck softly, then his lips.

They were interuppted by a light knocking at the study door. They pulled apart, and saw Giles standing there. Both blushed, slightly, and Willow nodded for him to come in.

"Yes, I... just wanted to make sure you were healing alright, Oz?" Giles asked, examining Oz's shoulder as well. The werewolf nodded.

"I'll be fine by tommorow. I heal fast."

Giles nodded. "Yes, I'm sure that you do." He paused. "I'm terribly sorry about last night, from now on we'll keep the room capacity to a bare minumum on your... nights."

Oz gave him a smile. "Thanks."

Giles took a deep breath, cleaning his glasses, and looking at the two of them. "It certainly was, erm... interesting."

"Yeah, well, what can you expect from Xander?" Willow tried to joke. It came out sounding bitter.

"Yes, yes." Giles agreed, his mind obviously somewhere else. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, he placed his glasses back on and looked at the couple again. "I do suppose that you two are... taking all of the... neccesary precautions?" He stammered, turning slightly red. "I do mean, you know, aside from the standard... ah, birth control methods. I'm sure there are many that are suitable to the both of you, and--"

"Giles, we got it." Willow said, softly, also blushing. "We're being very careful." Oz just nodded.

"Yes, but... aside from the... erm, standard protection, you do have to remember that Oz is a werewolf every day of the year, not just those that fall on the full moon."

"We got it. The three "No"'s; No Scratching, No Biting, No..." Willow trailed off, glancing at her boyfriend. "Well, I guess there's just two."

Giles nodded, obviously very flustered. "Y-yes. Good, I'm glad that you will be... I wouldn't want anything to happen to either of you... do... have a pleasant evening." He wandered out of the study, leaving Willow and Oz to stare at eachother.

"Could that have gotten more awkward?" Willow asked, shivering slightly as she folded up Oz's clothes for him and put them on his cabinet.

"Maybe if he'd gotten out the 'Miracle of Life' book." Oz replied, dryly. Willow looked at him for a moment, and then laughed. She started laughing harder, and soon she couldn't stop. Then she started to cry. Oz was at her side in an instant, pulling her into his arms, stroking her hair.

"It's okay," He repeated in her ear, soothingly. She cried quietly for a few moments, then wiped her eyes and nose.

"I'm sorry," She told him, shakily, as he wiped tears off of her cheeks. "It's just been a really hard day."

**********************

"Before you say anything..." Xander said, as he walked into the study several hours later. "I come in peace."

Willow looked up at him, her eyes cold. For a few long moments, she stared at him. "Fine." She said. "Now leave."

Xander stood rooted in his place. "Not until I say what it is. That I have to. Say." He stammered out.

She looked at him, aggrivated. "Why should I listen to you?"

"Because I really, really need to say it?"

She sighed. "Okay." The hacker continued to flip through her magazine. Ozwolf snarled, but remained relatively calm.

"Okay, I flipped last night. I mean, you saw it. And I said some mean things that could probably get me on someone's hit list."

"Not disagreeing."

"Okay, but here's why..." He trailed off. "It's 'cause I was really, really hurt that you didn't tell me yourself. That you didn't *trust* me enough."

"Like the way you trusted me about you and Faith?" Willow asked, coldly. Xander's mouth went slack for a moment.

"No... okay, so that was a mistake. I should have told you."

"And you didn't." She shut her magazine. "Because, face it, Xander, our relationship is different now. We don't tell about those things. Too much has changed." She paused. "But that doesn't give you the right to tear apart my relationship with Oz."

"I was hurt, Willow."

"Yeah, I was hurt, too, Xander, when I found out about you and Faith. You know? My best friend had the nerve to sleep with the girl who was stealing my *other* best friend, and he didn't even tell me. That's what hurt, Xander, so I know how you felt." She laughed softly. "I sat in a bathroom stall and cried for *fifteen* minutes because I thought I was losing you, and everything I'd held onto my whole life." She looked at him. "But then I realized I already *had* lost it, in some way."

"What?" Xander asked. "Not following."

"Things have been different for awhile now, Xander. And in a lot of ways, they've been better. You know, I'm so much happier than I was three years ago. Because I'm in love with someone who's in love with me back. *And* I've got great friends. It's a good combination, Xander. I don't understand why you seem to always feel the need to ruin it for me." She turned away from him.

He sighed. "Because I'm an idiot. Because I want you all to myself, and I'm selfish."

She nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."

"I deserved that." He paused. "But... Talking, er rather, having Oz talk to me today, it made me realize that I've pretty much been messing up my whole life, when it comes to you."

She slowly turned to face him. "Huh?"

"I ignored your feelings for me. Then I got mad when they started to go away. Then I took advantage of them when we were sneaking around. And then I just couldn't handle the fact that they were gone." He paused. "That you moved on."

Willow stared at her life-long friend. "What are you saying, Xander?"

He looked at her, a small smile on his face. "Maybe I'm gonna accept it. Or try to. That you're not my Willow anymore. That you're... that you're his, now. That you're grown up, and I might just get there too, someday." He sighed. "I just don't want to lose you as a friend, Will. That's what hurt the most."

She nodded. "I know." She paused. "I'm sorry I hurt you. But there are just some things that we can't just tell eachother anymore."

Xander nodded. "I'll learn to deal with that." He paused. "And I'm sorry, I really am. About saying the bad things about you and Oz. I'm happy for you."

Willow smiled at her friend. "Thank you."

**************************

Oz awoke the next morning to the smell of coffee and waffles. And it smelled pretty darn good. He got up, slowly, and dressed, and then saundered out into Giles' kitchen, where Willow was standing at the stove, moving waffles onto a plate.

"Hey." He said, softly, hoping not to startle her. She jumped just slightly, and turned around, grinning.

"Hey!" She replied, carrying the plate, along with a cup of coffee, over to her boyfriend. "Feeling better?"

He nodded. "Definitely." She kissed him sweetly on the lips. "Thanks."

"I made breakfast." She said, proudly, giving him a knife, a fork and some syrup. He grinned at her.

"You certainly did, it looks amazing." He then slid the plate in between the two of them, grabbed another fork, and handed it to her.

"Sharing?" She asked, not unhappy with the idea.

"Of course." He replied. They ate together for a few minutes, and then Willow spoke.

"Xander did come over last night."

"How'd it go?"

She thought for a moment. "Not terribly."

"You guys get things worked out?"

She smiled, softly. "It was a start."

---

The End.
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